Species
"You can spend a thousand years among the people of this world, and never learn one ten-thousandth of the variety there is out there." -'' Councillor Areya Sayenna, Elven Domain Information The world is full of many sentient species. New players often have trouble deciding which to play, either through too many or not enough choices. So, for newer players or just those looking to create something more varied from the usual choices, here are the legal species for the CommonBorne setting. The Natural Races The "Natural Races" are races that were born through evolution and the gods blessings, with no input from experimentation or magic. Humans Humans are plentiful, found almost everywhere a species ''can be found. They spread out across the world and are known for their adventurous, ambitious and sometimes war-mongering spirit. * Founders of The Royaume and Co-Founders of The Commonwealth * 25% are born with magical potential. * Physical maturity finishes at 20, they live to 100. * Average height 5 to 6 foot Dwarves Dwarves are the short, stocky mountain peoples who live primarily in the large subterranean kingdom of The Democracy of Terra Dwarves are big fans of the Beard as a sign of adulthood. Dwarf women are known for growing fine, silky beards or having well-kept stubble, while dwarf men tend to go for braids and other forms of decoration. * Founders of the Terran Democracy, the "Subterranean Kingdom" * Rarely seen above ground, the majority think it's weird to not have rock over your head. * The second-most unmagical race. 10% are born with magical potential. * Physical maturity finishes at 35, they live to 400. * Average height 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 feet. Elves Elves are the thin, lithe natural magicians of the world. Long ago the Elves were the dominant species on the planet, but those times weren't to last, and after brutal wars between the factions they were reduced to a single domain. Wood Elves are mostly found in the Wilds, while High Elves typically hail from larger societies. Eladrin are rare on the Northern Continents. * Founders of the Elven Domain, descendants of the Ancient Elves. * Uncommon species, they are on the brink of extinction * Split into several sub-races: Wood Elves, High Elves and Drow most prominently. * The most magical natural race, all Elves are born with magical potential. * Physical maturity finishes at 25, they live to 500. * Average height 4 2/3 to 6 feet. Halfling Half the size of the other species, Halflings are peace loving and typically considered to be a bit odd. They have no major society of their own to speak of, and typically live in The Wilds in small villages. Although the occasional Halfling has tried to start a large society, it has ended in failure due to the apathy of others. Halflings want to relax and enjoy their lives, and let their neighbours do the same. * Most common in The Wilds, but found anywhere warm with good food. * The least magical natural race, less than 5% of Halflings are born with magical potential. * Physical maturity finishes at 30, they live to 200. * Average height 3 to 4 foot. Gnomes Gnomes are to Halflings what Elves are to humans- a slightly slender, physically weaker but more magical species. Gnomes are often tinkerers or inventors, but are sometimes also found as thieves due to their height making hiding easier. * Co-Founders of The Commonwealth. * One of the more magical races, 75% are born with magical potential. * Physical maturity finishes at 17, they live to 500. * Average height 3 to 4 foot. Goblins Goblins are short: Short lived and Short tempered. Considered pests and vermin by many others, they reach maturity at two years old, breed rapidly and die of old age by their mid twenties. They like their meat as raw as possible, and sometimes prefer it still moving. * Live in Goblin Tribes. * Sharp pointed teeth and green or yellow skin. * A very unmagical race, only 20% are born with magical potential. * Physical maturity finishes at 2, they live to 25. * Average height 3 to 4 1/2 feet. The Unnatural Races The Unnatural races were created through crossbreeding with the aid of magic, or other practices. Historically shunned, some, such as the Dragonborn, have been around long enough to have been accepted as true sentients. Half-Breeds Half-Elves, Half-Orcs, and so on. Those that haven't been around long enough to establish their own society, or are not born in great enough numbers. * Take on traits of both parent races. Dragonborn Said to have evolved from Elves and Dragons, Dragonborn are a very old species. Although in the days of the Ancient Elves they were discriminated against, they have risen to a position of great respectability in the world of today. Lizard-like with thick scales, Dragonborn have powerful breath weapons and large reptilian tails. * Founders of The Draconic Empire. * Have the ability to breathe fire, ice or other elements depending on ancestry. * A variety of different scale colours. * 50% are born with magical potential. * Physical maturity finishes at 10, they live to 90. * Average height 5 1/2 to 7 foot. Orcs Orcs were created by the Winter King as ruthless footsoldiers. It is said he used the combined genetics of Dwarves, Goblins and Giants. Raised for brutality and combat prowess, they obey the orders of whoever they feel is strongest, while each secretly believes ''they ''are the strongest. * Created millenia ago in the Winter Kingdom. * Thick green skin is naturally tough against weapons. * Feel very little pain, as a consequence, have no fear. * Are feared by most species. * Very unmagical, only 8% are born with magical potential. * Physical maturity finishes at 12, the oldest recorded was 800, but they usually die in battle so their age cap is unknown. * Average height 6 to 7 1/2 foot. Tiefling First generations are born of human and demon, either by a human transporting to the Demonic Planes, a demon summoning gone wrong, or another dark ritual. Tieflings are feared and discriminated against wherever they tread- on the Mortal planes feared, and on the Demonic discriminated due to their non-demon heritage. * Typically have tails, horns and skin of reds, purples and blues * Eyes tend to glow and resemble their demonic forebears. * Very magical, 90% are born with magical potential. * Physical maturity finishes at 20, they live to 300. * Average height 5 to 7 foot. Goliath The Goliaths are Half-Giants. They roam in societies called Herds, typically living in the harshest places. They have traditional poetry and believe that from an early age you must pull your weight. * Typically bald, with pale skin covered in tattoos or other markings. * Very magical, 90% are born with magical potential. * Physical maturity finishes at 20, they live to 100. * Average height 7 to 9 foot. Shifters Taking on animal-esque attributes such as ears or tail while keeping an otherwise human or elf body, Shifters are a strange curiousity. Occasionally born into a family with no known reason they are viewed in many societies as a bad omen or a curse. Shifters have animalistic senses, and their animal features become more pronounced when agitated. * Have animalistic features such as fangs, tails and ears. * Have bonus powers from whatever creature their animal traits resemble. * 85% are born with magical potential. * Physical maturity finishes at 17, they live to 500. * Average height 4 to 6 foot. Ocean Races The races that live in the ocean are strange and have a very unique society. Although most of them are amphibious, they seldom leave the waters, finding the lack of pressure on the skin of the land strange. Tritons Blue or green-skinned with webbed fingers and hands, the Triton are the most prevalent of the ocean races. They have a passion for sport, for fighting and for justice, but can be seen as odd and uptight to most. * Founders of The Undersea Kingdom. * Amphibious, live on both land and sea. * 75% are born with magical potential. * Physical maturity finishes at 13, they live to 70. * Average height 5 to 6 foot. Tortles Resembling bipedal turtles, these slow-lived creatures may well be the longest living of the sea, as well as the slowest living outside of it. * Amphibious, live on both land and sea. * Peaceful, and don't venture around much. * 45% are born with magical potential. * Physical maturity finishes at 45, they live to 1000. * Average height 4 to 5 foot. Merfolk Known as Mermaids due to the high female-to-male ration, the Merfolk are beings with the body of a human and the legs of a fish. Merfolk enjoy swimming in the deep waves, and typically hate having to come onto land due to needing advanced magic to be able to walk upon it. * Playful and adventurous when it comes to the sea * Amphibious, but cannot walk on land unassisted. * 100% are born with magical potential. * Physical maturity finishes at 17, they live to 200. * Average height 3 to 5 foot. Known Races of the Southern Continents The races of the Southern Continents lived in those lands for generations before being mysteriously wiped out. While research is ongoing as to what caused the mass-extinction, the following races have been identified; Aarakocra A large winged bird-like species. The Aarakocra resembled humanoid eagles, and had large wings on their backs that allowed flight. * Founded the Imperium Aarakocra. * Covered in feathers of whites and browns. * Unknown how many were born magical. * Average height 5 to 7 foot. * Extinct? Loxodon Humanoid elephants with large tusks and big ears, the huge Loxodon left behind traces of an advanced culture based on deep thought, music and wisdom. * Little is known about them. * Covered in a thick grey hide. * Unknown how many were born magical. * Average height 7 to 12 foot. * Extinct? Centaur A large species that resemble a horse or deer's body with a human torso in place of a head, the Centaurs are wise and powerful. They kept to themselves, mostly, and preffered to mix with their own species. It is possibly because of this that they escaped the mass extinction, as shortly after landing on the southern continent in 1753, they made contact with the colonists. * Quadrapedal. * Live in small tribal conclaves. * 95% are born with magical potential. * Physical maturity finishes at 12, they live to 600. * Average height 4 to 8 foot. * Survived the mass extinction. Tabaxi A fur-covered species with cat-like traits, Tabaxi were athletic and frequently appeared as humanoid Lions, Leopards and Panthers. Unlike the other species of the Southern Continents Tabaxi do exist on the north, originating on a small island that was split in half by the Equator Barrier. * Extinct on the Southern Continents, rare on the Northern. * Covered in fur. * 22% are born with magical potential. * Physical maturity finishes at 20, they live to 150. * Average height 5 to 7 foot. Ancient Races Catalogued here for curiousity purposes, although some (Like the Warforged) are rare but still exist, most are a long-gone part of history. Warforged Usually huge but do come smaller, the Warforged are magitek machines, created by the Ancient Elves as a defense mechanism against the onslaught of the Winter Kingdom. Most Warforged that are seen these days have gone insane due to millenia locked in isolated below-ground cities, or are still following irreversible orders given by people who have long since turned to dust. * Giant, made of metal and magic. * Seem to be able to wield magic the same as an ensouled being. * Created mature, do not age. * Average height 4 to 20 foot.